


Shore Leave

by Dreamer in the Dark (Dream_Wreaver)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: At What Cost Periphery, At What Cost Universe, F/M, Pirates, Working through Issues by Fighting, sword fights
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-04
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2020-01-13 13:33:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18469996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dream_Wreaver/pseuds/Dreamer%20in%20the%20Dark
Summary: She gave up everything to be with him, but she's not a treasure to be buried either





	Shore Leave

**Author's Note:**

> What can I say? I love the idea of Pirate King Luka getting his behind handed to him by his fearless Queen

A pirate’s life was a wonderful life. Well, much more wonderful than the life that had awaited her back in France. Was it dangerous, deadly even? Yes, but here her unfeminine skills had purpose and use. And moreover, she had respect for what she could do, not who she was. Well… mostly.

All the crew had loved to talk about those first couple weeks at sea had been the story of how Kagami had come aboard La Liberteé. Rose, the ship’s doctor, had squealed, declaring it “so romantic”. Many of the others saw Luka’s actions regarding her as one of the most epic love stories ever to be told. Kagami had had it under control, but in the end, his actions had gotten everyone what they wanted. Jalil had Lila and money enough to allow them to live comfortably in Rome, and they had each other.

They had been married by the law of the sea, and Luka’s sister, first mate Juleka. And for a short while, everything had seemed wonderful. Life on the open ocean, running away from the law and stifling constraints of society. With nothing but one’s desires and ambition to guide you. But as of late, they were in rough waters, both literally and metaphorically.

Luka was taking her to her ancestral homeland, which was rough and long sailing. They daren’t stop in too many ports, for fear they might be discovered and arrested. Kagami would hang just for association, nevermind the worst Luka’s band did was rob merchant ships. And, despite her proficiency with a sword, Kagami didn’t have any other attributes that rendered her useful to the crew. And Luka, her darling husband, refused to teach her.

“Perhaps on a shorter journey someday,” he often said, “This one is long and arduous, and incredibly dangerous for a newcomer. Please Kagami, just stay in my quarters for now.”

That had been his exact turn of phrase for the last few weeks. Kagami couldn’t even find peace on deck. The moment Luka spotted her, he ushered her back inside. It was driving her  _ insane _ , especially after her treatment before running away with Luka. But when she brought that up to him, he seemed to clam up. He always did have trouble talking, and he’d hung up his instrument for his sword. Guitars weren’t practical on a pirate ship anyways. And so, yet again, Kagami waited. Luka returned, looking slightly damp. He sank into the plush chair in his cabin with a heavy sigh.

She walked purposefully towards him, arms cross and fingers resting atop her arm tapping in agitation and frustration, “Well?” she asked.

“We’re finally around the tip of Africa,” Luka remarked, rising from his chair and striding to his desk to check his charts, “In a few days time we’ll need to plan a supply run. Good thing the Isla de Tortuga is just a day’s sail from here.”

“The Isla de Tortuga, really?” her tone was unimpressed, but Luka seemed too preoccupied with making sure they were still on course.

“Yes, it used to be a Portuguese colony between Africa and India, but then it became a safe haven for pirates. Brawls can happen occasionally, but no feud enters the island, nor leaves it.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that any blood feud someone has with someone else cannot be brought to Tortuga, likewise you can’t declare a blood feud on the island and carry it out to the sea. Brawls are commonplace, since it’s also a host for all kinds of raucous activity, but it’s supposed to be a place where a pirate doesn’t have to worry about being pursued. We’ll take a shore leave, and gather supplies. The crew is due for a few days rest anyways. And it’s time to announce the new king, though I’m sure the news has already reached the island already.”

“Well, I suppose I’m looking forward to seeing such an important place,”

“Oh no,” Luka shook his head, “You’re going to stay on the ship until we leave. I’m not taking that risk so soon.”

“Risk?” Kagami couldn’t believe him, “Risk? This coming from the Pirate King who can’t even beat me in a duel? What risk is there for me?”

“Plenty,” Luka replied, “Just because you can best the Pirate King in a sword fight doesn’t mean you’re ready for the Isla de Tortuga. Kagami, you haven’t been in this life long enough, and you were sheltered your whole life before that. I’m only trying to protect you-”

“Protect me?” Kagami scoffed, “You asked me to come with you because you thought that life wouldn’t be what I needed. And do you not remember what that life was? I was kept in a cage, and you’re doing the same thing now. I’m good with a sword, but you won’t let me learn any other skills, I can’t be of any use to the rest of the crew, what was even the  _ point _ of all this then?”

“What are you saying?” Luka gave her a hard stare.

“I’m saying… maybe this,  _ us _ , was a mistake,” Kagami’s folded arms gripped each other tightly as she looked away from him, “Maybe I  _ would _ have been better off marrying Jalil, at least I knew from the start how  _ he _ was going to treat me.”

Luka was silent. And the longer he went without speaking, the more Kagami began to regret her words. But she had hesitated before, and she couldn’t keep her feelings bottled up like this. Out of anyone in the world besides Marinette, she thought he might be the one to understand her. He’d understood how limited she had felt at her mother’s home. He’d given her the chance to see the world, but was she really seeing  _ any _ of it from the cage of the captain’s cabin? She felt just as trapped as she had before, but this time, she didn’t have a group of friends ready and willing to bust her out, nor anywhere away from here she could go. Nothing but open water waited her should she jump ship, and she certainly wouldn’t survive long because she knew next to nothing about seafaring.

And he refused to teach her. Kagami felt bad for what she had said, but she wouldn’t apologize for saying it. If he wanted to be with her, wanted her for his Pirate Queen he needed to start treating her like she was the equal he claimed he wanted her to be. And it wasn’t as though inherent sexism was to blame. As she had found out at their wedding the former Pirate King was his  _ mother _ , his first mate was his  _ sister _ and a good portion of the crew on La Liberteé were  _ female _ . Kagami didn’t know what to make of that. She wasn’t weak because she was female, and she couldn’t be weak simply because she didn’t know things. After all, Rose, the ship’s doctor hadn’t known a single thing about sailing before coming on board. So it wasn’t as though it couldn’t be taught. The question was, why didn’t he want to teach her?

It was these questions and more which plagued the silent cabin over the next few days. Luka had vacated in deference to her and slept below deck with his crew. Kagami could walk about on board, and the crew didn’t appear to hate her. They kept their distance all the same, however. Which meant they had to have known about the fight. Luka had very little of a reaction after withstanding the blows she had dealt him, only saying,

“If that’s how you really feel,” and walking off. She hadn’t seen him since.

And now, now they were docket at the Isla de Tortuga, the pirate’s safe haven. And much of the crew had left on shore leave for the evening, maybe two all things considered. When she asked, out of curiosity, she’d been told the captain had went along with them. He had needed to make the official announcement of his claiming the sovereign title after all. And yet again, Kagami was left behind. It felt as though she didn’t matter to him anymore. That she was just another piece of treasure to be collected and displayed when convenient, and traded in for something better at the earliest sign. The thought was thoroughly depressing. And infuriating. Kagami was incensed at his audacity. He had made her love him, had convinced her to go with him and leave her whole life behind, and now he was abandoning her for the shore? After locking her away like some prized songbird?

Marital vows or no, Kagami was still a Tsurugi and such an insult could no longer be borne. She grabbed her sword -a wedding present from Luka- and a pistol and tucked them into her belt. Then, she ordered one of the crew who had stayed behind to take her to her husband.

“But, my lady,” they tried to tell her why it wasn’t a good idea, but she silenced them with a hand.

“My husband, where is he?”

“The favorite tavern is the Lucky Strike,” another crew member offered, “If he’s anywhere, it’s probably there.”

“Good, now let’s go,” she ordered the first. 

They, seeing no way to possibly get out of this without somehow getting in trouble, relented and took her ashore. They led her to the aforementioned tavern and took her inside. At the very back Luka sat, surrounded by his shipmates and with an overly physical barmaid seated on his lap. He didn't seem interested in anything beyond his mug of ale. But still, Kagami cleared her throat, catching the attention of the entire table, and subsequently, the whole bar.

Luka looked up, apparently surprised to see her off the boat. But before he could say anything, she beat him to the punch,

“Excuse me,” she began politely, her breeding not yet beaten out of her by the rough and dangerous ways. But it wasn't as though she hadn't learned anything, “but I believe that's my husband you're sitting on. Get off, before I break that pretty little face of yours.”

At her declaration, the entire room was abuzz. Some were whispering, others were laughing at the audacity of this delicate little woman declaring herself the Pirate King's bride. And still others were looking at the saucy wench like they wanted to claim her for their own.

It was these folks Luka noticed, though with a gentle hand he urged the barmaid to slide off his lap. Kagami looked furious, and perhaps he was a fool, but he thought she was all the more gloriously beautiful for it. Not that it mattered, she'd already made her decision. Still, if she was furious because some barmaid wanted a larger tip, then maybe he could still hope?

Her arms were folded, eyes narrowed, and one of her brows was raised expectantly. She wanted him to come, immediately. Well, as smitten with her as he was, he still had a reputation to uphold. Skilled a pirate as he was, he was still only newly king, and there were those who felt he didn't deserve the title. On his own good time, Luka rose from the chair, and folded his own arms.

“What do you want?” He asked her, “You were told not to leave the ship.”

“I was,” she admitted without a hint of shame, “However, given the circumstances I felt disinclined to acquiesce to your request.”

Luka huffed, so like her to use a pirate’s own words against him. Still, at the very least he wanted her out of the line of sight of the lusty rogues which comprised the bar crowd. With as much swagger in his step as he could muster, Luka approached her,

“Let’s settle this outside,” the entirety of the pirate world did not need to hear about his marital troubles, especially not so soon after his vows had been trothed. Luka grabbed Kagami’s arm and gently ushered her outsider, “What part of ‘stay on the ship’ did you not understand Kagami?” he asked her.

“Every word of it I understood,” Kagami retorted, “But, as I said just a moment ago, you didn’t really give me any incentive to obey.”

“Do you think I wouldn’t have let you come here if I thought you were ready for it?” Luka wasn’t the type to be easily angered, and thus when his ire  _ was _ provoked it tended to manifest itself as cold, quiet fury instead of the raging inferno of most people, “This is a whole world that you are unfamiliar with, and-”

“I can’t do this anymore!” Kagami exclaimed, immediately unsheathing her sword and brandishing it in his direction.

Luka looked stunned for a moment, even raising his hands up passively. His expression, however, was anything but, “So what do you plan to do?” he asked her coldly, “Run me through with a sword? Kill the Pirate King in a pirate’s den? You know you won’t even make it back to the ship without being captured by some opportunistic bilge rat.”

“No,” Kagami replied, “I want a duel,”

Luka blinked, “A duel?” he repeated.

“If I win, you take me home, and this whole…  _ farce _ of a marriage is over.”

“And if I win?” Luka asked, raising a cocky brow and having the audacity to smirk at her.

Kagami frowned, “You seem to assume you’re going to, which I will not allow.”

“We’ll see about that love,” Luka replied, “But in that case I get to name my prize, and if I win, you’ll stay with me,” eyeing the crowd he added, “Unless your mother’s willing to pay ransom for you.”

Kagami was slightly confused about that last part. Shortly after leaving Marinette had sent out a missive stating that Madame had been so furious at her daughter’s reckless behavior and unexpected departure she’d disowned her. There would be no ransom, not now, not ever. It wasn’t until she glanced out the corner of her eye she understood. That was for the sake of the audience they had gathered, no one else’s.

“And now,” Luka continued, “Since you’ve already drawn, I suppose it’s my turn,”

He drew his own blade, and the two crossed swords. From out of the crowd, a referee came. They stood together, waiting patiently. By pirate’s law they would fight until one of them was disarmed. On the count of three the duel began, the participants drew back and waited; circling each other like sharks circle bait. As always, Kagami was the first to strike. She was an opportunist, and she never liked to hesitate. Luka barely had time to deflect her blow with his blade. And just after he did she quickly recovered and struck again. Clang! Clash! The ringing of steel meeting steel resounded through the courtyard, reverberated in the ears of the onlookers, in the hearts of the duelists. It was as pretty as a ballerina’s dancing, the way they moved around each other. They appeared evenly matched, though Kagami had technical skill and endless hours of practice on her side. Luka had gotten a bit more real world experience in his months as the Pirate King. Those merchants tried to arm themselves as best they could, and Luka had a few new scars decorating his body from when he’d been just a moment too slow on the uptake.

But, Kagami was the quickest study Luka had ever met. Just a moment of hesitation, the only true weakness she’d always claimed, and his sword was out of his hand and he was sprawled out on the ground. With the blade he’d had made especially for her for their wedding pointed at his throat. Kagami planted one foot atop his chest, and Luka was reminded of their very first duel, which had ended in a very similar manner. Except back then he hadn’t been battling the urge to drag her back to their cabin and not let her see the light of day for the next couple of days, at  _ least _ . Well, not as badly as he was now, anyways.

Kagami’s chest was heaving, at least he hadn’t gotten himself pinned without a hell of a fight. She never looked more beautiful than when she was flushed from battle. Well… maybe when she was flushed from other activities, but this was as close a second as one could get, and one where he wouldn’t kill anyone who happened to see her like this. But Luka wasn’t down for the count yet, and Kagami had one weakness, all he had to do was wait,

“Had enough?” she smirked, and he had it. Luka’s arms wrapped around the ankle of her supple boot, holding it in place as his leg swept her standing one out from under her. Surprised by this turn of events, Kagami dropped her own sword and it skittered to the side a few feet away. In an instant Luka rolled to his feet, grabbed the weapon and reversed their previous position. Now she was the one with a blade’s tip lightly caressing her lovely throat.

Luka finally responded to her earlier quip, “No, have ye?”

Kagami looked stunned, “That’s not fair!” she protested.

“Pirate, love,” Luka reminded him, “Pirate’s rule, in which, there are very few rules. Playing dirty is simply par for the course. Something you  _ should _ have known before ye dared to challenge me.”

He saw her hand twitch, and with one blink she had him staring down the end of one of his own pistols. Well, he’d said she was a quick study had he not? Naturally she wouldn’t have come to a pirate’s den without at least one other weapon on her person. Luka couldn’t help the crooked smirk that pulled at the corner of his mouth. She might have brought the weapon with her, but even without spending so much time with her he knew she wouldn’t do anything with it. Her hand had the slightest trembling to it, and her finger was twitching at the trigger. She wasn’t as experienced with the firearm as she was with her sword. It was a simple matter of flicking his wrist to send that careening to the side as well. Even if she pulled out one more surprise from her clothes, everyone around them knew it was over. The Pirate King had won. And the referee declared as much. Luka planted the blade into the dirt and hauled her up to her feet by her arm. An arm which he kept a tight grip on as he dragged her to one of the many inns which littered the island. He was tall, taller than her, which meant his legs and therefore his stride was longer, and that she had to take hurried steps in order to keep up with him.

“Luka!” she protested, “Luka wait!”

But the thrill of the battle had already worn off for him. All that was left now was anger. Anger worse than what he’d felt when she’d said she’d wanted to end their marriage. Because those, those had been just words. He wasn’t good with words, and Kagami -for all the training put into her life- wasn’t either. She was direct, straightforward, frank. And just because she was as blunt as a battle bitten blade, didn’t mean she always meant the wounds she attempted to inflict. But her actions always spoke louder than her words, and her actions today had cut him to the quick far deeper and faster than those words had. She’d  _ wanted _ to leave him, had put steps together in order to accomplish it. And he had very nearly lost her, only hadn’t because he hadn’t played fair. And he was certain that was something she was still angry about. The keeper of the inn had a room ready for them the instant she saw them storming her way from the window. Not a word was even mentioned about payment, because the Pirate King could settle his debts at any time, and she was not going to haggle with an obviously angry man.

Though he detested being rough with anyone, Luka practically tossed Kagami into the room. She stumbled but did not lose her balance, merely whirling on her heel and crossing her arms at him. She was good and furious. She always was when she lost a battle. Kagami prided herself on her skills with a sword, and though she could accept when a worthy opponent beat her, what she could not accept was when she was beaten by anything less than honorable means. Which he had completely flouted, just to keep her by his side, when she no longer wanted to be with him. His heart hurt, but he’d been raised to never let anything, or anyone, he truly wanted to slip through his fingers. He was a pirate, they pillaged, plundered, looted. They took, and here he was, taking her decisions away from her again. Was he truly any better than her mother?

“Luka!” Kagami snarled, dragging his thoughts out from the pit of self-loathing they’d been slowly sinking into. Luka looked at her, eyes clear and focused on her, “You cheated, the duel is mine by rights. You need to chart a course back to France, _ now _ .”

“No,” he said quietly.

“No?” she raised a brow at him.

“No,” Luka repeated, “Yes, I cheated, and I will admit that without shame. I used the pirate rules against you, and I would do it again every single time should this day endlessly repeat itself. I will turn into the most ruthless, selfish pirate on the seven seas if it means keeping you with me.” Kagami looked startled at that declaration, “I know, I’ve been keeping you locked up in our cabin, and I know how much you hate it, especially after what your mother did to you. I know I’m acting just like her right now, but I can’t help it. I’m so scared of losing you when it feels I’ve only just got you. I would do anything to prevent harm from coming to you, and these waters are some of the roughest we face in the world. I wasn’t intending to keep you locked up the whole trip, I swear I wasn’t. Everyone else knows what to do in a crisis, and I didn’t want them to worry about you, you know they would. They love you, and they know  _ I _ love you, and because of that they know much much it would devastate me if I were to lose you.”

“Devastate you, really?” Kagami looked like she couldn’t believe it. But it wasn’t skepticism in its usual snarky form. It was a soft tone of genuine confusion and wonder, coupled by the softening in her eyes and the slightest loosening of her folded arms.

“I told you why I became the Pirate King, right?” Luka asked her. Wordlessly Kagami shook her head, and he continued, “It was the day you told me you were engaged. I couldn’t stand losing you like that, so I tried to run away. And now that I have you with me, I don’t want to feel like that ever again.”

“And I made you feel like that,” Kagami’s tone was at once a bitter epiphany. But Luka didn’t want her to feel like that for an instant.

“I pushed you to that point,” he countered, “I should have just  _ told _ you. I know you’re stubborn, but you’ve never not listened to reason before.”

Kagami let out a breath of laughter, “Luka, since I’ve met you I’ve done the most unreasonable things the old me could imagine. And I’ve been grateful for it, I’m sorry I took things this far,”

“I’m sorry I made you feel like it was your only option,” Luka was silent a moment, and Kagami’s arms hung limply at her sides. The air was awkward, and then Luka closed the distance, using fingers calloused from his playing and his life on the waves to tilt her chin up and meet his gaze, “Kagami,” he breathed, the sound shallow with nerves, “Do you still want to leave me?”

Against her own wishes, she trembled. She wouldn’t have wanted to leave if his treatment hadn’t hurt so much. And it wouldn’t have hurt so much if she didn’t love him, “No,” she whispered quietly, “But please,” she added, “Never do anything like that again,”

“I can’t promise I won’t,” Luka told her, and she’d always appreciated his honesty, “But I can promise I’ll try.”

She nodded, and they embraced.

“There is one more promise you can make me,” Kagami said as she pulled away slightly.

“And that is?”

“Never let me catch another woman hanging off of you like that again.”

“I hate to break this to you my Queen, but that’s how they do their jobs. Besides,” and here Luka shot her a wolfish grin, “Why would I have any interest in them when I have you?”

That statement got her cheeks to heat. Which in turn heated his blood. And thankfully they were in a room. Which had a bed. And the night was young. The possibilities were endless. In a sudden motion he scooped her up and had her on the bed. A moment afterwards, he was on top of her.

“I must ask, my lady,” he said even as one of his hands reached behind his back, “Are you particularly fond of anything you are wearing at present?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because while I am more than willing to pay for new clothes, since I have intentions of damaging these particular ones far beyond repair, I will of course refrain if you have an affinity for them.”

“Oh,” her cheeks flushed again, “No, I cannot say I have any particular fondness for any of my current garments. Do with them what you will, I am after all, at your mercy Captain.”

“Good,” Luka growled, “Now be a good girl, and don’t move.” the dagger he’d thus far concealed glinted in the light. And he heard Kagami’s breath catch as it came closer and closer to her skin. Not that he had any intention of hurting her, never that. Still, it was somehow intensely stirring to watch the blade slice through the threads of her buttons, one by one. Kagami’s breathing was shallow, quickening with every button he beheaded. Her vest fell apart, and then her shirt, and finally, the bindings that kept her chest in place while she needed to move about. She forwent corsets unless she was trying to tease him.

Her torso was bared to him and Luka licked his lips. She was always a feast for his eyes. But he longed to devour her in every way possible. Kagami slipped her arms free of the garments, running her fingers along her arms until she had the knife in her own hands, and was returning the favor. They were both naked from the waist up, and then she tossed the weapon to the side. Their mouths met and all sense of deliberate, apologetic affection was lost. She was like that, a pirate at her core. Brooking no hesitation, allowing for no quarter, a vicious onslaught that Luka had no choice but to yield to. To be fair, Luka was too distracted by the barrage of sensations, not just from the way her tongue slid against his, but the scratch of her nails against his scalp as she twined her hands in his hair, and of her bare chest brushing against his, nevermind the electricity that zapped against his nerves at every place they touched. He ran his own hands over her skin, glorifying in the way she shivered under his touch.

There were few moments when she would allow herself to be pinned, this was one of them. She fell back against the bed again, pulling him to her. One of her hands remained in his hair, pulling and tugging slightly. The other mirrored its actions at the draws of his breeches, lightly testing at the weight of what lay beneath. Shamelessly Luka rocked his hips into her touch, craving the satisfaction of being sheathed within her but distracted by the ministrations he was already receiving. And he refused to stop kissing her until his lungs were ready to give out. When they finally did, Luka still didn’t want to break away to rid himself and her of the final barriers that kept them from each other. Instead, he peppered kisses to her skin, suckling at the flesh damp with perspiration. Kagami lay back with one hand thrown above her head, and were it not for the movements of her other hand she would have matched Venus in repose. Thank god the old gods were dead, Luka would not tolerate the jealousy of a petty immortal begrudging his own Queen’s beauty. He panted softly, harshly, ready to do anything so long as she would stop taunting him.

“Please,” his whimper was whispered, the strength in his voice lost to his own desire for his bride, “Please,” he couldn’t even articulate what he wanted her to do. To stop, to keep going, did it really even matter?

Kagami hummed in response, bringing her other hand down to finally fumble with the stays. He felt the taut fabric give way and begin to pool about his waist. Luka fought it the rest of the way off and tossed it to the corner with a particularly nasty glare. Kagami’s chuckle brought him back to the present, and to silence her tongue he brought back into conflict with his own. But only for a brief moment, before he pulled away to pay tribute all over her body, leaving swirling tracks in its way. Kagami moaned softly beneath his ministrations, and bore the torture for a few moments before she grabbed hold of his face and pulled him back to her. She kissed him feverishly before grinding out a harsh, “I need you,  _ now _ .”

And in he slipped. This was not their first time by any means. And more often than not they had ridden out storms near the african horn in a similar manner. But as the resolution to an argument which had hurt them far deeper than they had cared to admit there was an added layer. One of reassurance and mutual devotion. They had gone through hell to be together, and they would weather this storm just as they had the ones they’d journeyed through on their way here. Kagami was incredibly sensitive, but just as vicious, and Luka was always proud to bear the marks of her assault the next couple of days. He guided her through the crests of her release as easily as he guided a ship through the swells of the ocean, and she held him as his own storm wracked through his brain, asking with her motions to let himself be this vulnerable around her. When he came, it was a quiet moan, a soft declaration of fealty whispered in his beloved’s ear. Her soft gasp was all the response he needed.

The shore leave was only supposed to last about three days. Enough time to restock their food and fresh water stores, as well as allow the crew to relieve any pent up aggression they could not so easily do while on board. Thanks to the captain and his bride, what was only supposed to be a few days’ time spent back on land was extended to a week. No one on the crew was stupid enough to complain.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading. Please leave a comment and let me know what you thought. Until next time


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